Stay
by KatPeeta23
Summary: Katniss went home after her college graduation and saw her childhood best friend sitting on his parents porch next door. After visiting her parents and younger siblings, she goes to leave and Peeta invites himself to her hotel for a sleepover. She lets him come, and ends up being a one night stand victim. Alot of things can come from a one night stand.
1. Chapter 1

_Then, May 9__th__, 2011_

I swear, I haven't seen him since I was seventeen. He'd lived next door my entire life. We were best friends until we went off to college. He's here though, sitting on his parents front porch, his feet propped up on the railing. I just got back from Chicago, where I graduated college.

"Well if it isn't Katniss Joy." He takes a sip of his drink. He's a year older than me, being twenty one.

"Well if it isn't Peeta Ryan." I shut the door to my white 2008 Jeep Cherokee. I'm not staying with my parents; I'm staying in a hotel because my parents, brother, and sister, are a bit…pushy.

He takes another swig of his beer. "How have you been?"

I shrug. "I just got back from college graduation."

His eyebrows rise. "Well, congratulations."

"Thanks." I say.

"Got a boyfriend?" he asks.

I scowl. "No. You know how I feel about that."

"Ah, yeah, I do, but still…you know you have interest in me."

I laugh. "And what has you so convinced of that?"

"We kissed." He grins.

"When I was sixteen nd you were seventeen."

"Yes, but it happened."

I cross my arms.

"How old are you now?" he asks.

"Twenty." I say. He looks at the date.

"It's your birthday, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Damn." He says. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks. Well…I should…" I wave at my parents' house. He nods.

"Don't think you've gotten rid of me yet."

"Oh trust me Mellark, I know I haven't."

I go into my parents' house and let them shower me in hugs and kisses. I hug my brother, who is sixteen, and my sister, who is seventeen, hello.

We have birthday cake after dinner and then I announce I'm going to go to the hotel. Mom frets over me and tells me how we have the spare room, but I turn her down and say goodbye, let them know I'll be back tomorrow, and then I walk out of the house.

Peeta's still sitting on his porch.

I walk out the door and head for my car, hoping he won't notice me, but of course, he does.

"Let's have a sleepover." He says. I look at him and laugh.

"_What_?" I ask.

"Come on." He says. "We were best friends since we were what, six?"

"Yeah…" I trail off.

"So?" he demands. "We were best friends. Let's catch up."

"Peeta that was like…three years ago."

"And?" he asks. "Please? I have movies and popcorn. I know you love popcorn." He pauses. "And I have cheese buns." He smirks.

Fuck, I love watching moves and eating popcorn and cheese buns with him. We used to have tons of sleepovers and when I was sixteen and he was seventeen, he slept over my house and we were watching a movie and he rolled over and kissed me.

I used to have a huge crush on him and I use to want him to be my boyfriend. I used to plan my future with him. I always envisioned having a baby boy with him. I have _always_ wanted to have sex with him. There's some charm about him that makes me crazy. My Mother and Father would be so happy if I was with him. They adore him, and his family. My mother has already secretly betrothed me to him.

"Please?" he stands up.

I shift back and forth. "You have five minutes to get whatever the fuck you need and to get in the car. I'm setting a timer." I get in the driver's side and start the car. I see him grin, and then he runs off, inside his parents' house.

When he has one second left, he gets in the car.

I don't bother with the speed limit, I just speed to my hotel, check in, and take the room key. He follows me.

"What moves are we watching?" I ask in the elevator.

"We are watching the Titanic." He says. I groan.

"We _always_ watch that."

"I know." He smirks. "I didn't want to break our…tradition."

I scowl at him as the elevator doors open, and then I march down the hall with my luggage and go in my hotel room. He follows me and shuts the door behind himself.

I take a quick shower and dress in a t-shirt with no bra and a pair of sweatpants. He's lying on my bed in his boxer briefs when I come out.

"Where the fuck are your pants?" I demand, shocked by the head starting in my abdomen and spreading all the way through my body.

"I don't sleep with pants on." He says.

"Yeah, and you don't wear boxers either."

"Do you want me to change?" he asks.

"No."

He laughs and I scowl again.

"Stop complaining."

I slowly crawl into the only bed.

The boxer briefs he's wearing are white and they show his dick perfectly and it's…distracting.

He starts he movie, and I lay down.

Somewhere halfway through, I realize how close we've moved to each other. My head is actually on his arm as a pillow. He's not sleeping. As a matter of fact, he's running his fingers through my hair.

Suddenly, he grabs the remote, shuts the TV off, and rolls over so he's hovering above me.

I stare at him, shocked.

"You are so distracting." He whispers.

"I'm not doing anything."

"The way you breathe is sexy." He murmurs.

Slowly, he leans down and kisses me.

Something in my mind is screaming for me to make him stop, but the other part of my mind is begging him to go further. Hell, I'm twenty and I'm still a virgin. The needy side of me wins and I start kissing back.

"If you want me to stop, make me stop." He whispers against my lip. He pulls away to look in my eyes.

"Do you want to stop?" I whisper.

He smirks, lips his lips, and then shakes his head. "No."

"Then keep going."

He's quiet for a moment. "Do I have boundaries?"

I shake my head.

He kisses me again, and slowly coaxes me so I'm sitting up. His fingers grab ahold of the hem of my t-shirt. He searches my eyes.

I put my hand on his chest. "Are you a virgin?" I ask.

"Are _you_ a virgin?"

We're both quiet. "Let's answer at the same time." He finally says.

"Okay…" I hesitate.

"One, two, three…"

"Yes!" we both say at the same time, and then both of our faces register shock.

"Seriously?" I ask, and he nods.

"Yeah…I've…I mean, I've gotten blown and…"

"Okay, okay." I wave him off. "I don't need the dirty details." He laughs and starts kissing me again, and then he pulls off my t-shirt.

The part of my mind that is telling to stop goes silent, and I know there's no way I'm going to.

….a….

I wake up, expecting him to be there, but he's not.

There's a note though.

_Katniss,_

_Look…I know you're probably going to fucking hate me forever but I can't give you what you want. I know you want a relationship. I know you do. I'm sorry. I'm not the right guy. I don't think I can have a steady relationship. Hell, I've never even had a girlfriend. I'm sorry. By the way, I'm changing my number and nobody's going to tell you what it is so even if you wanted to find me, I wouldn't be there._

_Sorry!_

_Peeta_

I'm pissed all the sudden. I rip the note into shreds and get up. I storm into the bathroom and shower and put on jean shorts, a tank top, and a jean jacket and wedges, blow dry my hair and leave it down. I pack all my stuff and check out of the hotel, and I put on my white sunglasses, and speed to my parents' house.

He's on the porch, talking to his brothers.

I don't even fucking look at him. I slam the door as hard as I can and storm into the house.

"I'm going home!" I shout. Prim, my sister, the seventeen year old, and Reed, who is sixteen and then my mother and father come racing downstairs.

"Why? You're not supposed to leave for another week."

"Yeah, well something happened with our _friendly_ neighbor last night and now I'm leaving."

"With who, Peeta?" Prim asks.

"Yes." I snap.

"What happened?" Dad asks.

"We fucked and he left. He's a one night stand asshole. Now I'm going home because I know Madge is lonely and I don't want to fucking deal with any of this shit."

"Katniss." Prim follows me outside.

"What?" I demand, and I hear Peeta and Rye and Graham (his brothers) drift into silence.

"Just…" she looks at Peeta. "Never mind. Can you call me when you're less…pissed?" she looks at Peeta with a death glare.

"Whatever." I turn around.

I get in my car and start it up. I roll down the windows and as I'm backing out, I hear Rye say, "You shouldn't even feel bad. She's hot. Girls like that never can hold a good relationship."


	2. Chapter 2

_Now, May 9th, 2012_

"Happy twenty first birthday." Johanna smiles.

My friends, Madge, my roommate, Annie, Johanna and Finnick are insisting I take the night off as a mother to party for my twenty first birthday.

One year ago, I lost my virginity to a little boy that hasn't matured yet. He changed his phone number and his parents moved out. I have no way to find him. I have no way to tell him that he has a three month old son. Elliot Ryan is my baby boy. He is three months. His eyes are a blue gray color and his hair is blond, just like his Daddy.

"Your drinking tonight." Johanna says.

"No I'm not. I have to breastfeed."

She sighs and gives up.

We sit at the bar and all of my friends get a beer and I settle with a coke.

"So how's little Elliot?" Johanna asks.

"He's good. He said Mama a couple days ago."

"It was the cutest." Madge grins.

I lot all the baby weight. I went running every morning and did crunches and I worked it all off.

"Well hot damn." Johanna says. "Look, over there." Johanna points across the bar. "Isn't he just eye candy?"

We follow her finger.

"Who?" Madge asks.

"The blond!" Johanna turns all of our heads so we're looking right at him. He's looking right at me, and my jaw drops, my hand clamps over my mouth and I spin around in a chair.

"Fuck, oh fuck, this isn't fucking happening."

"He's checking you out. Why are you freaking out? He's fucking hot! Go talk to him."

I look at the four of them with clenched teeth. "That. Is. Elliot's. Father."

All of their jaws drop.

"You fucked that?" Johanna shouts.

"He's coming over here." Annie whispers.

"I'm leaving."

"We just got here." Annie complains.

"You need to tell him." Finn says.

I grab my jacket and my wallet, and get up and start to move out of the bar, but he moves right in front of me.

"It's your birthday." He says.

"Fuck you."

"Wait." He says. "Please."

I have to tell him.

"Why?" I cross my arms.

"Can I talk to you?"

"About _what_?"

"About…about what I did to you."

"Peeta, you don't even fucking know what you did to me."

He sighs. "Please can we talk?"

I'm silent for a long time.

"Fine." I walk out, and he waves goodbye to his friends and follows me.

"Listen, I'm really sorry for what I did and the way that I treated you. I was an idiot for leaving. I thought I couldn't give you what I want but I can and…and I think I'm in love with you."

"How the fuck could you be in love with me?"

"I've always had a thing for you. I was scared, okay? I know you think of me as an immature child but I'm not. I was afraid that…that if I got into a relationship with you…you would fall for someone else and I would be left hanging."

I'm silent for a long, long time.

"So you just…hurt me and left?"

"I'm sorry." He says. "Can we just…try and be friends?"

"You don't even fucking live here, Peeta."

"Yes I do. I moved here a few weeks ago." He insists.

I sink down on a park bench and drop my head into my hands. He stands in front of me.

"Peeta." I stand up.

He raises his eyebrows.

"You have a three month old son."

"What?" he asks.

"We had sex a year ago. Nine months was three months ago. You got me pregnant."

He starts shaking his head. "No, there's no fucking way."

"I'm serious." I whisper.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"How could I? Your parents moved out. I had no way to contact you. I searched every social media sight, I tried government websites and nothing! I tried! I could find you!"

"I…_we_ have a son?"

"Yes. His name is Elliot Ryan."

"Well where is he?" he demands.

"My Mom is watching him."

"I want to meet him."

"Peeta…you…you left, you haven't been there."

"I know and I'm really sorry!" he says.

"Can you wait till tomorrow? Mom has him overnight and I'm tired and I just want to go home."

"What time?" he demands.

"Just…come over at…noon."

"Can I have your address?"

"Yes." I write it down on his hand.

"I can't believe this." He mutters. "Jesus Christ. I have a kid."

I stare at him.

"We can…we can share him or something?" he asks.

No. I don't like sharing my baby boy.

"We can talk about it tomorrow. I'm going home."

"Wait." He says.

"_What_?" I demand.

"I meant what I said."

"What?"

"I meant it when I said that I think I'm in love with you."

He hugs me goodbye, and then I scurry off, waving down a taxi before he can offer me a ride home.

….a….

I get up at nine and take a shower. I clean the whole house and shout to Madge that I'm leaving, and then I grab my keys and wallet and go out of the house. I get in my car and head off. Madge is going to go. She's moving out, which sucks, and is moving in with her boyfriend, Gale.

I head to my Mother's. It's eleven when I get there, and I know there's absolutely no way I'm going to be there by noon.

I should've gotten his phone number.

I pull into my Mother's driveway and get out, leaving the car on. His stuff is packed and he's all ready to go.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for lunch?" Mom asks.

"I can't. I ran into Peeta yesterday and well…" I trail off.

"He wants to meet him?" Reed asks.

"Yeah, but he's changed now." I pick up Elliot and his diaper bag.

"He just ate, he got changed, I gave him a bath this morning, so he should be fine."

Elliot lets out a loud cooing noise when he realizes it's me holding him.

"Good luck. I want you to call me when he leaves." Mom says.

"I will, bye." I walk out and put Elliot in his car seat, kiss his forehead and head home.

….s….

Elliot is in a good mood today. He's giggling the whole ride home. He does fall asleep though, and I sigh because I really needed him to stay awake.

I get to my townhouse and take out Elliot and his diaper bag.

I go inside and find a note on the counter.

_Katniss,_

_I'm at Gale's. Peeta showed up and I knew you wouldn't be home till about one thirty so I told him t come back at one thirty five._

_-Madge_

I look at the clock. It's one thirty on the dot.

Elliot is awake now, and wants to play, so I put him on his belly on the living room floor with tons of toys. I watch him, and then someone knocks on the door.

God, I'm nervous.


	3. Chapter 3

I rise to my feet and go and open the door. Peeta's standing there, scratching the back of his neck. He's nervous.

Elliot let's out a squeal. Peeta's eyes widen.

"That's him?" He whispers.

"Yes." I nod. "It's okay."

He looks afraid. He steps into the house and I shut the door behind him.

"What if he hates me?" He asks.

"He won't. Elliot loves everyone."

I walk into the living room and Peeta slowly follows me. I pick him up, and I don't be pushy. I know he's scared and he's in shock right now. Peeta looks at him and me for a long time.

"His eyes are perfect. They're gray and blue."

I smile.

He's quiet for a while and Elliot start sucking on his hand.

"I um...can I hold him?" He whispers.

"Sure."

"I don't want to hurt him."

"You won't." I hand Elliot to him and for a moment, he holds him under the arms at arms length away from him. He looks scared, but then he warns up to him and shifts him so he is holding him properly.

Elliot smiles and makes a loud cooing noise.

"I..." He sighs. "He's so cute."

I smile.

"We need to talk about this." He says seriously. He sits down on the couch and puts Elliot on his knee. I sit across from him. "I spoke with my parents and brothers."

"And?" I ask.

"They're really excited. They're pis-angry I left. They're mad that I changed my number, and they think that I'm not ready to be alone with a baby. I agree with them. I know nothing about kids or anything. I'm scared and I'm nervous. But I don't want to miss anything. Has he said his first word yet?"

"Yes and no. He makes a lot of noises and sometimes they sound like works. I swear he said Mama last week but he hasn't said it again so it was probably just a noise."

He nods. "I don't want to miss anything. I don't want him to have to have parents that aren't together."

"We need to do what is best for our baby." He says. I'm silent. "I think...and I know this is moving quickly, but we should move in together."

"What?" I ask.

"I know. I want to help. I want to be there. I can't do that if I don't have you. I mean...don't you like...feed him?" He gestures to my breasts.

"Yes..."

"See? If he started crying right now, I would probably hand him to you and start pacing around. I don't know what to do. I want to do this together. I realized that I seriously do love you. It's because of me that you had to do this without me. I won't let you do anything see without me. I want to be there with you get stressed. I want to work together when he's sick. I want to be there. I know you don't want to share him."

"That's true." I mutter.

"So what do you say?"

"I like me house."

"Well then I'll move in."

"You'll have to wait two weeks. My roommate is moving out. You can come here every day and we can go out and do stuff and take him to see your parents but for now you are going to have to wait."

"Okay." He says. Elliot starts crying and Peeta hands him to me and stands up, and sure enough he starts to pace. "Is he okay? Why is he crying?"

I grab the blanket off of the couch and cover myself and then I pull my shirt down so he can latch on. He starts sucking immediately.

"How does it work?" He asks.

"What?"

"The breast feeding...does it just spray into his mouth?"

I laugh. "Do you want to see?"

He searches my eyes to see if it's okay, and then I move the blanket and show him.

"He sucks?" He asks.

"Yes."

"Does it tickle?"

"No."

"Is it...arousing?"

"No." I laugh. "It's just there."

When he's done eating, he falls asleep.

I cover myself up and then lay him on the couch next to me.

"Katniss." Peeta whispers. "Can we try to...to be more than friends?"

"Peeta." I sigh.

"I'm not the same anymore. I promise." He squats down in front of me. "Please? I really want to try to...be with you." He rests his hands on my knees.

"Peeta...I don't know, okay? I had a really hard time when I found out I was pregnant. I don't want to deal with that again."

"You won't." He whispers. "I've changed. I swear."

I stare into his eyes, and he stares into mine, and we start leaning closer, and just when our lips are about to touch, I back away and sigh and then stand up, grab Elliot and carry him to his crib in his nursery and close the door over. He's still in the same spot. I sit back down.

"Katniss." He whispers and he rests his hands on my knees again.

I've wanted to be in a real actual serious relationship with him since I hit puberty and realized how attractive guys were. Peeta always thought I didn't have a crush on any guy at all and I never wanted a guy, but...the whole time all I had ever wanted was him.

"Please? Just think about it? I've changed. I want to prove that."

My eyes start searching his again, and again we both start leaning closer. I stop right when our lips are about to touch and freeze. My eyes are staring into his.

"I'll...think about it." I whisper.

I can feel his hot breath beating onto my lips. I close my eyes and remember how wonderful it felt to kiss him.

Slowly, I press my lips to his.

It's not passionate, but it feels wonderful and I want to deepen it.

"Katniss." He whispers, pulling away. "You are so damn beautiful."

"No I...I'm not."

"Yes." He says. Suddenly, he reaches behind me and locks his hands on my lower back and yanks forward, pulling me on the floor. He sits down and pulls me into his lap. "You are."

"I...want to keep kissing you." I mumble.

"So do it baby."

"Baby?" I ask.

"I have always wanted to call you baby. I have always wanted you to be mine. Now that I have you here, I'm going to abuse that privilege."

"I want to be in a relationship with you, but I'm afraid of being hurt."

"I won't hurt you." I kisses my cheek. "Just give me one change. Just one. One chance and I promise I won't let you down."

We're both quiet, searching each other's eyes.

"Let me think about it for a while."

"Alright." He says. "I have to go to work. What do you do now?"

"I um...I work at a daycare. I'm the owner of it but I work there because I can bring Elliot with me. I can just ditch work whenever I want. What about you?"

"I'm working on opening up a pottery place. I love art, as you know, but for now I'm working at my parents bakery."

I nod and climb off his lap.

"Okay. Hey, I need your phone number." I say. He snaps his fingers and does something on his phone and then hands it to me. I add myself as a contact and hand it back to him. He texts me and I save the number as him.

"I'll see you..."

"I don't know when. I have to work tomorrow. I work from seven in the morning to six at night on week nights unless I feel like not going."

"Alright. I'll text you or call you when I miss you guys and want to see you again."

"Okay." I say. He hugs me and kisses my head and then leaves.

Fuck, I think I'm falling in love with Peeta Ryan Mellark.

...9...

Madge comes home around five and has Gale, Finnick, Annie, and Johanna with her.

Elliot is screaming and I'm making dinner and he won't eat anything and I changed his diaper. I took off his clothes if he was hot and he just won't stop screaming. He's been screaming for a half hour and my lovely friends won't fucking help me.

"Peeta's coming over." Johanna calls.

I don't even reply. I start crying and I'm about to start screaming.

Peeta comes walking into the kitchen then. He looks at me, sees I'm crying, and then takes Elliot from my arms.

He rubs his back, and after a couple minutes, Elliot starts sucking on his shoulder and goes silent.

I let out a long, stressed sigh and run my fingers through my hair.

Peeta takes his free hand and brushes away my tears.

He looks over my shoulder at the burnt food on the stove, and instead of laughing, he shuts the stove off, dumps the pan in the garbage, and then turns to me and whispers, "Go get dressed. Let's go out to dinner. I'm paying."

"Come with me." I whisper. I take his free hand and walk out of the kitchen to my room.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

"I'm just stressed and my friends are pissing me off and Elliot's been screaming for the past half hour and he wouldn't eat or anything. I tried everything, and I was trying to make dinner and that ended in a disaster. I've just been alone with no help for so long. The only time they helped me was when I went into labor." I whisper.

"Well now you'll never be alone." He says. "I'm here, and I'm going to help you and stick by you for the rest of your life whether you like it or not."

"Peeta...can I ask you something?" I ask.

He nods.

"Do you...are you using Elliot to get to me?"

His jaw drops. "No! No. No I'm not. I love you and I love our son. I'm not trying to get to you through our son."

"But your trying to get to me."

"Well...you already know that. I want to be able to call you mine."

"Well...your gonna have to work pretty damn hard to gain my trust again."

"I know." He says. "I hate myself for leaving you alone. I hate myself for not giving you what you wanted when you wanted it."

I start going through my drawers. I grab faded jeans, a white tank top and my flip flops. I don't care he's in here, I just change in front of him. Even before we had sex, we changed in front of each other.

I dress quickly, and then I brush my hair and braid it. Peeta follows me into Elliot's room and I teach him how to put him in a onesie. He demands to try it himself, so I let him. He gets it on his first try. I pack the diaper bag and we go into the living room.

"What's for dinner?" Madge asks.

I want to rip my hair out. I want to scream at her and bang her head against the wall.

"Make something." I walk out the door, grabbing my phone, wallet, and keys on the way. Peeta follows me.

"I'm driving." He says.

"Okay, but we need Elliot's car seat."

"Will you teach me how to put him in his seat?"

"Of course."

"And how to change his diaper?"

"Mm hmm," I nod.

"And how to burp him?"

"Yes."

"And anything else?"

"Peeta, honey, I'm going to teach you anything you need to know."

He stops walking. "What did you call me?"

"I um..." I sigh. "Knock it off."

He laughs.

I get the car seat from my car and then lock the door, and then I go to his car. He unlocks it and I show him how to put the seat in the car. I take Elliot from him and show him how to buckle him.

"It's that easy?"

"Yes." I say.

"Okay." He shuts Elliot's door and then opens mine. I get in and he shuts the door and goes around to his door.

...3...

Peeta is insisting to stay until Elliot falls asleep for the night. We get to my house and go inside. There's a note on the counter.

Katniss,

I'm with Gale. We're going clubbing and then I'm going to spend the night with Gale.

Madge

I sigh and toss the note in the garbage.

Elliot's already asleep.

"Please don't make me leave." Peeta says. I take Elliot to his crib.

"Peeta." I cross my arms.

"Please? Please don't make me leave. Nobody's here." He begs.

"We're not dating Peeta."

"So? We used to have sleepovers all the time."

"When we were kids." I say. "And we had one sleepover when we were adults and look where that got me."

"Please? I promise I won't do it again."

"I don't want you using me for sex."

"I'm not!" He says, and he sighs. "I'm not."

"Fine." I say. "You can spend the night." I walk off and go take a shower and then I get dressed in a t-shirt and sweats. He's in his boxers, like usual. I sit down next to him on the couch and flip through the channels.

Then, I just shut the TV off and turn to him.

"What did you go to college for?"

"Business." He frowns. "Why?"

"Because I've seen you one day since I was seventeen. You graduated high school and college a year before I did. I want to know."

"Well, I went for business."

"Who gave you a blowjob?"

"How do you know about that?"

"You told me." I bite my lip.

He sighs. "I don't know who, I was drunk."

"You better not drink like that anymore."

"I won't." He says.

"Have you had sex with anyone aside from me?"

He shakes his head.

"Okay..."

"Why are you asking so many questions?" He asks. I scoot closer to him so our knees are touching.

"Because I want to repair us and I can't unless I know every detail."

He shrugs. "That's basically it. Nothing really changed."

"Was it good?"

"Was what good?"

"The blow."

"I don't know. I was drunk. I think it was."

I let out a long sigh.

"Do you what one to remember?"

He raises his eyebrows.

"What?" He asks.

"Do you want a blow to remember?" I lick my lips.

He nods numbly.

"You better go find someone to do it for you." I start laughing and he scoffs and throws a pillow at me, which I dodge.

"Your such a bitch."

Then I see I gave him a boner, which makes me laugh even harder.

He's so embarrassed and I can't stop laughing. I laugh for a few minutes, and then he shoots forward and kisses me.

I want to push him off me, but instead, I scoot closer until I'm in his lap.

I deepen it, and then we're making out with his hands on my boobs through my shirt.

I don't want to have sex yet but I really want to at the same time. My fingers knot in his hair, pulling his lips on mine harder.

I pull away. "No. I don't want to do this yet. I can't even trust you." He drops his hands and starts rubbing my back.

"I'll wait."

...9...

I finally convinced him to leave at three the next afternoon. He kept begging me to let him stay, but I kissed him to shut him up and told him that he could come back tomorrow. Now I'm lying on the couch with the dark with Elliot using me as a pacifier because once again Madge is at Gale's.

After a couple of hours, I fall asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

I start having a panic attack when I wake up because one, I'm not on the couch, two, because Elliot is gone, three, my boobs are covered, and four, because I can hear Elliot cooing in the living room.

I get up and trip on my sheet and then rush into the living room.

I want to curse him out so badly.

"Morning." Peeta says happily.

I clench my fists. "What the hell?"

"What?" He looks confused.

"You scared the shit out of me! I thought someone broke in and..." I trail off.

"I'm sorry." He says, and he kisses my forehead.

Elliot starts screaming suddenly. I pick him up, and right away, he starts trying to get his head in my chest.

I expose myself and shift him and he latches on.

"We need to talk." He says.

"About what?" I ask.

"Us."

I sigh.

"I don't think it's right for me to move in if we aren't together. Obviously, and don't try denying it, there's definitely something dangerous brewing between us. If I move in and...I mean, just the other night when you were in the shower...I wanted to get in with you, and I almost did, but I had to stop myself. If I live here and I know your fucking naked with only a door between us, I won't be able to refrain myself. I have deep, deep feelings for you. Feelings I've never felt before. My brothers don't even know what it is. My parents say it's love and I think they're right. I can't move in. Not when we have boundaries. I know you don't trust me. Hell, I don't blame you, but I want to be there for you and Elliot."

"I can refrain you." I don't believe he loves me. He knows it.

"Barely. Just the other night you had a hard time. Your just as affected by me as I am by you. I don't want to rush you. I encourage you to take your time. I want you to know that I am not moving in until the boundaries are dropped. Really it's best for the three of us."

"So what about Elliot?"

"Oh, I'm not having him overnight." He says. "No way. I'll come visit but no."

"Okay."

"Don't rush honey."

"Yup." I mutter.

...9...

It took me a few hours to realize that he was encouraging me not to rush so I would rush. I call my Mom and rant to her and she tells me that we all know what I want, and that is him. Everyone wants us to be together.

I see a change in Peeta, too, and I know he really is working on it.

"Just give him a chance honey and warn him. If he blows it...that's his own fault. Sure, you'll have to share Elliot but you have to do what's best for him."

"Thanks Mom." I mutter, and end the conversation.

I decide to sleep on it. Madge isn't home again. I make a point of locking the door so he can't just walk in, and then I say down with Elliot and go to sleep.

...9...

Mom's right. I need to give him a shot.

I message Peeta and ask if he's working today. He tells me no and I ask if he's busy. He tells me no and I take his address down and then drive the hour to my parents to drop of Elliot, and then I go right to Peeta's place. I knock repeatedly until he opens the door.

"Yes?" He looks over my shoulder for Elliot.

"Mom has him." I say.

"Okay..." He frowns.

I walk right in the door and shut it behind him.

"I didn't think you wanted anything to do with me unless Elliot was here."

I shake my head and start kissing him.

"K-Katniss." He whispers.

"Are you alone all day?"

"My brothers and parents are coming over."

"What time?" I whisper.

"Um...like four, why?"

"Because."

"Because..."

I ignore him and start walking around, familiarizing myself with the place.

"So I've been thinking..." I inspect a vase and wipe away a fingerprint with my shirt. "What am I hesitating for? You know what I want. I know what I want. I want you, you want me, our parents basically betrothed us to one another...why am I hesitating? Then, I though wait, if I don't hesitate, something could go wrong. You could fuck me and leave again and leave me broken and angry. But you've changed. I can see it." I start pacing again, and he watches me. "I've decide that yes, we can be together. Yes, this rids boundaries, but you get one chance!" I hold up my index finger. "If you blow it, that's it. You can still see Elliot, but you cannot have me. This does not mean that I'm just there for a good fuck and then that it. This means we are together. You have a son now. You need to grow up and become a man. You need to get your pottery place open. You need to help pay for baby stuff. This requires responsibility."

"I'll do anything." he says. "I want to be the man you want. I will change in a million different ways until you're happy. I love you, I love you, I love you." He hugs me. "I don't expect you to say it back yet." He mutters.

"I say it when I'm ready." I say, and I lean up and kiss him.

He deeps it, and picks me up, and this time he stops me, because we don't want to rush.

...9...

He comes with me to pick up Elliot. He doesn't even get out of the car. I race in real quick and get him, and then I come back and put him in the car seat. I notice Peeta's in the driver's seat. I get in the passenger seat.

"I'm driving." He announces. I shrug and put my feet on the dashboard.

We drive in a comfortable silence for half the ride. Peeta reaches over finally and grabs my hand. "Will you stay for dinner? My parents and brothers are dying to meet him."

I'm nervous that something's going to go wrong. I know that's stupid because the Mellark's have known me since I was a fetus, literally. They've wanted Peeta and I together for years.

I remember when Peeta and I were teenagers, the Mellark's tried everything to get their son to be a gentlemen and nothing worked. When he was with me though, every time he did something wrong, I would yell at him. I did it right in front of his parents to, and his friends or his extended family. I didn't care. If he didn't do something right he had to be told and I had no problem arguing with him. We got into countless arguments and still, he kept me around. That's why the Mellark's like me so much, because I get their son to do what's right.

Hell, I did it to Rye and Graham as well. All three boys would get their parents to tell me to stop but they didn't.

Peeta's waving his hands in front of my face.

"Will you?" He asks.

"Um, sure."

We both drift into silence. I still remember when I did it once.

It was the first day of the summer going into ninth grade. I was spending the night at his house and we were having spaghetti for dinner. His brothers were there and all three boys were eating with their hands. Me, Mrs. Mellark, and Mr. Mellark were gaping at them in disgust. Finally, I got up and got napkins and wiped all of their hands. I told them "you guys are so inappropriate and nasty. If you think you're getting a wife one day, your sadly mistake. Females don't like this nasty garbage." I wiped their face too. "You're not cavemen. Grow up." I put forks in their hands and sat back down.

Peeta did whatever I said. I swear, if I had told him to jump off a bridge, he'd have done it.

"Peeta?" I ask softly.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you do whatever I told you to when we were kids?"

He sighs. "Katniss, I've had a thing for you for as long as I could remember. I did anything you said because I wanted to make you happy."

I smile and rest my head against the window. "I wish you told me." I whisper. "You were the reason I didn't date any boys. I wanted you. You were just too blind to see it."

"Really?" He asks.

"Yeah."

We stop talking for a while. Even when we get to his house, we still don't talk.

Elliot's playing on the living room floor and screaming about baby words, I'm leaving against the wall with my arms crossed, and Peeta's watching Elliot play when Rye and Graham come into the house.

They look at me, and then they look at Peeta, and then Elliot screams and they look down at him and their jaws drop.

Then, the two boys exchange looks and Mr. and Mrs. Mellark come in.

They gasp at the sight of me, and then Elliot bangs Mickey Mouse action figure on the ground and screams.

"Oh my!" Mrs. Mellark puts one hand over her heart and the other over her mouth. "I was going to say to get a DNA test just to be sure, but my goodness, he looks just like the both of you. He's so cute!" She looks like she desperately wants to hold him.

I pick him up and hand him to her. "How old is he?" She looks at me, not Peeta.

"Three months and four days."

"When is his birthday?"

"February ninth."

"How much did he weigh?" She asks.

"Seven pounds and thirteen ounces."

She nods. "I'm sorry my son was so irresponsible that he left you." She says, and she shoots Peeta a look.

I shrug and don't reply. "Does he sleep through the night?"

"Yeah."

"Do you breast feed?"

"Yes."

...9...

Mrs. Mellark called my family and then they came over too. We decided to go out to dinner. We're all getting to know each other again. My family doesn't know we're dating and neither do the Mellark's. We're the only two that know and we're going to tell our family later.

Mom used to see a guy and tell me to go talk to him.

I see her now, looking. Peeta knows too, and he leans over and whispers, "she's gonna make you go talk to someone. Just go do it."

I look at him, and he nods.

A guy walks in then.

"Honey," Mom says, grabbing all our attention. "He's handsome. Go talk to him."

I follow her gaze and he honestly is really fucking hot.

"Mom." I sigh.

"Do it. You need a boyfriend."

"I have one." I mutter, and only Peeta catches it. Or so I though, because Prim's eyes lock with mine. She's next to me. "Mom." I sigh again.

"Do it, or I will." She starts to get up and I do, too.

I walk over to the guy and tap him on the shoulder.

"Yeah?" He asks.

"Listen, I have a boyfriend and my Mom doesn't know it and she wants me to find a boyfriend so can you pretend to care so she'll get off my back?"

I see his eyes flick over my shoulder to my family, and then he smiles and sticks his hand out and I shake it. "She's falling for it." He mutters. "Except the guy next to the blond teenager."

"That's my boyfriend."

"Alright." He smiles and nods. "Alright. Just tell her that I think you're really pretty, which is true, and then tell her that we can't go out because I already have my eye on someone else."

"Okay, thanks." I walk away and sit back down.

"Well?" Mom asks.

"He said he thinks I'm pretty but he can't go out because he has his eye on someone else."

Her shoulders fall. "Honey, I don't want you to die alone."

"Mom, I'm twenty one."

"I know. I was dating your father and had you by then."

"Well..." I shrug. "I have a kid."

"But you're not dating his father." Mrs. Mellark butts in.

"I wish we had just done a forced marriage." Dad says, and the parents start nodding.

Peeta takes my hand under the table and sweeps my hair off my shoulder and then he leans over and whispers, "can't we just tell them?"

I nod.

"She has a boyfriend." Peeta says.

"Who?" Dad demands. "I need to kick his ass."

"Him." I nod at Peeta.

"Seriously?" Rye asks.

In answer, Peeta holds up our joined hands.

Mom screams and starts sobbing, and then the restaurant falls silent. She scared Elliot awake and he starts screaming. Mr. Mellark calms him.

Mrs. Mellark starts freaking out, too, and then everyone with us is freaking out. Elliot is not calming down, so I take him from Mr. Mellark.

"No, no this is unreal! This is like a dream come true for us! Oh, I wish Matt were here!"

At the mention of my cousin and best friend who was inseparable with Peeta and I, the smile leaves my face and I fall silent.

My cousin, Mathew E. Mathis, was in the US Navy. He was in Iraq. He went missing in action two years ago. We haven't heard from him since.

I hate talking about him, because it upsets me.

"Where is Matt?" Peeta asks.

Nobody says anything and the restaurant goes back to their usual chatter. "Where is he?"

Even worse, Peeta and Matt were best friends. Matt is, or would be, twenty three right now.

"Katniss, where's Matt."

"Peeta..." I whisper.

"Katniss," He says again.

"He went missing in action two years ago honey..."

His whole face falls he starts masking his emotions. "Oh." He says.

Nobody says that there's a good chance he's dead.

God, when I found out, I cried for three months before Mom told me I had to stay strong because that's what Matt would've wanted.

Ever since I found out he was MIA I started going to the veteran cemetery for Memorial and putting flags on the veteran's graves. A whole group of people come, too.

Peeta looks really upset then, and he sighs, and then he gets up and goes outside.

Nobody says anything for a while, and then I hand Elliot to Prim and follow after him.

Peeta left, and I don't blame him.

I sigh and go back inside. We've already eaten and we were just talking.

"He left." I sigh.

"He did?" Rye asks. I pick up Elliot and grab my purse.

"I'm going to go after him."

"Alright, bye honey." Mom says.

"Bye." Everyone else says. I wave and then follow Peeta out.


	5. Chapter 5

He won't open the door. "Peeta, please!" I hit the door and sigh. I ended up taking Elliot back to the restaurant for one of them to watch him. They didn't even complain. I rest my head against the door. I know he's crying. "Peeta." I say. "Open the damn door."

He ignores me.

"Please." I whisper. Still, he doesn't answer. My phone chimes though.

Peeta: you might as well just go home

"Fine!" I shout, and I kick the door. "Don't bother me for a long fucking time, Peeta Mellark!" I turn around and storm down the stairs from his apartment down to the pouring rain to my car. I think he's at the railing when I speed off, but I don't care enough to check.

...0...

I feel the bed sink down next to me, waking me. I hear a sigh, and someone sniff.

Slowly, I open my eyes and roll over. It's Peeta.

"I'm sorry." He whispers. "I'm so sorry. I was really upset and I just wanted to be alone."

"You...you couldn't have just told me that?" I ask.

"I'm sorry." He whispers.

"How'd you get in?" I ask quietly.

"You didn't pick Elliot up. My Mom dropped him off at my house and he had a bottle. I put him to sleep. Anyways, I found your key on top of the door. I know you told me not to bother you for a long time...Katniss please. I'm really sorry." He stands up and picks up his keys.

"Mmmm." I mumble. I am so aware suddenly, that I don't want him to leave.

He looks at me and backs towards the door. "I'm sorry." His breathing his heavy. "I'll just go."

"No." I mumble. "No Peeta. Stay with me." He stops, and he looks at me. It's then that I notice that he's been crying. "Oh honey, come here."

He takes his shoes off and his shirt and jeans, till he's in his boxers, and he crawls into bed with me.

"I'm sorry for being a bitch."

"You weren't." He whispers. I scoot closer to him.

"I just... I just want to be there for you and if you don't let me, what good will that do us?"

"I know. I should have let you in. I just can't believe that our best friend could be gone."

"I cried for three months when I found out."

"Why didn't you tell me last year?" He demands.

"I was scared. I didn't know how you would react."

He sighs. "Two years is a long time." He bites his lip, and then hides his face with his hand.

I sit up and sit him up, and then gently pull his face against me. He moves his hands from his face to wrap around me. Slowly then, he moves his head from my shoulder to my chest. I run my fingers through his hair. I know he doesn't like crying, especially not in front of me. "Baby." I whisper. "Just let it out." I rub his back.

He pulls me into his lap and buries his head in my shoulder.

"I can't believe this." He whimpers.

"Want sympathy sex?" I ask, and then I laugh. He laughs too.

"Yes." He says.

"Yes?" I ask.

In answer, he starts kissing me. I kiss him back and start grinding him. He groans and rips my shirt, literally, off my body.

And I'm not even mad.

...9...

I wake before Peeta does. We're both completely naked. His arms are wrapped around me and we're spooning. My hands are resting on his chest and my head is in his neck. I don't want to get up, but then I hear Elliot crying, so I know what woke me.

I gently work my way out of his arms and pull on panties and sweatpants. I don't out anything on my chest, I just walk across the house and get Elliot. I change his diaper and then right when I pick him up, his mouth latches onto me. I adjust him, go take my birth control, and get a blanket off the couch and lay down. I end up falling back to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

I'm walking out of the house the next morning when I realize how ugly my house is. I have a townhouse with a small garden in front of it and I want to make it a garden. I'm going to Peeta's and I'm gonna make him take me to the store. He'll do it, too, because he thinks if he tells me no I'll leave him. He's really sensitive lately. It's been about a week since he found out about Matt, and he's been super quiet and distant lately. I haven't seen him with a single beer since we started dating. We doesn't talk when we're over, he just puts Elliot to sleep, shuts the TV off, and pulls me into his arms and buries his head in my hair. He won't even let me kiss him.

I actually haven't heard him talk in about five days.

I'm worried about him. His pain has made me realize how upset I've been about Matt and ice been crying more often, too.

Peeta's making me sick with worried.

The thing that sucks about Matt is that he's married. We used to see his wife all the time, but right when she got the letter that he was MIA, she took off.

Nobody's heard from her since.

I go to Peeta's. I walk right in the house. It's dead silent. I shut the door loud enough for him to hear.

"Peeta?" I ask. Elliot's already sleeping. Peeta walks in the living room and takes Elliot from me and lays him on his little bed, and then he pulls me into a tight hug. "Please say something." I whisper. "Please? I miss your voice."

He shakes his head.

"Peeta." I whisper. "I'm really worried about you. Say something. Please say something." I release the hug, out my hands on his chest, and shoot forward and kiss his cheek. He doesn't react. "Peeta." I whisper, and bite my lip and let go of him when my eyes start to burn with tears.

I hate crying in front of him. One tear falls and I shoot past him, but he grabs my arm and shakes his head.

"It's okay to cry." He whispers.

"I'm really worried about you." I whisper. More tears fall. "I've made myself physically sick with worry. You don't say anything when we talk on the phone. You haven't left the house in a week. You don't talk. Peeta. Please."

He sighs. "I don't know what you want from me."

"I want you to talk and I want you to go somewhere. I want you to smile

And laugh and be Peeta again. I want you to be my Peeta again."

"I love you." He says. "Let's go somewhere then." He says. "Where do you want to go?"

"Let's just go to Home Depot."

"Why?" He asks.

"You'll see."

"Wait." He grabs my hand before I can go past him to check on Elliot.

I look at him, and then he kisses me. It's brief but it's more than he has all week. "Let me take a shower and get dressed first." He walks away. I sit down on the couch, prop my feet on the coffee table, and put the TV on the talk show channel. I hear dresser drawers opening and slamming and and then he walks across the house to the laundry room and disappears in the bathroom. I hear the shower start, and then I put my attention on the screen.

It's Ellen that's on with Adam Levine. My cousin, Miranda, Matt's sister, loves Adam Levine. He's finishing singing a song. It goes to commercial.

...0...

Peeta's enjoying himself way too much. About two weeks ago I told him about Matt. He's slowly feeling better. I didn't ever go to the store that day with him because he came out of the shower in a towel and he pulled me off the couch and brought me into his room and well...we fucked.

We've been back together for about two weeks.

Honesty, I haven't been feeling very well lately, but I haven't told Peeta.

Actually, I haven't seen Peeta in six days because I've been going to work and he's been working as well.

I haven't told Peeta because this whole not feeling good thing is...

It's way too familiar.

I get off work and call my Mother.

"Hey sweetie." She says.

"I need help." I say.

"What's wrong?"

"We need to meet somewhere." I pause. "Let's meet at the Great Lakes in Highland Park. You can bring any female you want as long as they're not a Mellark."

I hang up on her before she can protest and shift Elliot as I rush to the car and put him in the car seat.

I stop by the store and get a jar of pickles and mayonnaise.

I then stop by the first Cafe I see and get some coffee, and then I head to Highland Park.

My phone starts ringing.

"Hello?"

"Hey honey." Peeta says.

"Oh. It's you."

I hear a long bout of silence.

"Did I do something..."

"No, no. You didn't do anything."

"I haven't seen you and Elliot in a few days. How are you?"

"I'm alright." I lie.

"I miss you." He says.

"I miss you too."

"I want to see you."

"I'm not home."

"Where are you?"

"I'm somewhere with my Mom."

He lets out a long sigh. "Katniss."

"What?"

"Will you stop by when your done doing whatever it is your doing?"

"I'll see what I can do, Peeta."

He's quiet.

"Okay." He sounds upset. "Bye."

He hangs up before I can reply.

Quilt eats at me. I want to call him back.

I sigh and pull my knees to my chest. Elliot squeals beside me in his stroller. I peek at him and see he's playing with a toy and he's fine.

I get a text.

Peeta: don't come over. I'm gojng to my parents. I'll see you when I see you I guess

Me: Peeta

He doesn't answer.

I bet all my money he's going to his parents because of me.

I sit in silence for a long time, and then Prim, Mom, and surprisingly, Miranda (Matt's sister).

"What the hell is wrong?" Mom asks.

"Hey Kat." Miranda says, and she unbuckles Elliot, who she has only heard about, and picks him up.

"Hey Miranda." I mumble. She's twenty one like me, Matt being twenty three.

"What's wrong?" Prim asks, and all of them sit down around me.

"I threw up this morning." I say.

"So?" Mom asks.

"And my stomach is cramping. My boobs hurt. My period was supposed to start three days ago and it hasn't."

"Oh damn." Miranda says. "Your pregnant."

"Again, I think. And, look what I couldn't stop myself from stopping at the store for." I open the bag and show them the pickles and mayonnaise.

Prim lets out a low whistle. "Peeta better be the dad."

"Of course he's the dad you son of a bitch." I snap. "And then I upset him and I haven't seen him and I told him that I couldn't see him and I was a bitch and now he's going to his parent's. He even told me not to come over! He never tells me not to come over!" I start crying.

"Alright." Mom stands up. "Prim or Miranda can drive you home. I'm going to get some pregnancy tests at the store and then I'll be over." She looks at Prim and Miranda. "Don't let her drive. She's stressed and she's upset. The last thing we need is her to get in a car accident with both babies."

Prim and Miranda nod. Miranda hands Elliot to me and he rests his head against my shoulder and falls asleep. Prim pushes the stroller and the girls walk me to the car.

...8...

I'm refusing to look at the test. All of the girls know the answer already.

"Katniss just fucking look at the test!" Miranda says.

I sigh and rip the three of them from her hand and look at them. All of them are positive.


	7. Chapter 7

Two weeks have passed and now I'm a month pregnant. Neither one of us have made any attempt to contact each other.

Mom told me that if I don't go and tell him in the next three days she will do it for me.

I've realize that I do actually love Peeta. I love his imperfections and his dumbass mistakes and his smile and laugh and eyes and the thought that I've caused trouble in his heart puts an ache in mine.

I drop Elliot off at my mothers and drive to Peeta's.

Fuck, I don't even know if he's home.

I start getting very dizzy, and I pull over. It's a pregnancy symptom, but I know that this situation is part of it.

When it passes, I finish the trip to his apartment and park outside.

Not only is his car here, but so is his parents car.

Fuck.

I start the car again, and when I put it in reverse, I sigh and shut it off.

I need to do this.

Slowly, I get out of the car and trudge up the stairs to his apartment.

I normally just walk right in but it doesn't seem very right to do it right now. Nervously, I knock on the door.

It takes a few seconds, but I hear the lock click and then Peeta opens the door. He raises his eyebrows, clearly surprised to see me, and then he looks me up and down and sighs. Then, he steps aside and gestures for me to come in.

I step into the house.

Right when his parents and brothers see me, they start grabbing all of their stuff. "We're gonna go. We'll call you later!" Mrs. Mellark kisses Peeta's cheek, and mine, and they rush out and shut the door.

Peeta bites his lip. "Where's Elliot?"

"With my Mom."

"Why?"

"Because I need to talk to you...and I don't know how your going to react. If you react badly, I don't want him here."

He looks confused. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know." I look down. "I'm scared."

"Why?" He asks.

I walk into the living room and drop everything on the coffee table.

"Katniss...I'm...sorry for whatever I-"

"Dammit, you didn't do anything! It's me! It's all my fault!" I snap.

He stuffs his hands in his pockets and says nothing.

I start to pace. "The reason that I hadn't seen you the first five days is because we were working. That day you called and asked what I was dong, I was sitting at the Great Lakes in Highland Park and I ended up crying."

"Katniss-"

"You need to let me get it out or I'm going to forget something." I say. He goes silent. "Over the time we've been not around each other...I realized that you may be a little but if an ass sometimes and you may be immature but I love you."

His eyes go wide.

I out my hand up before he can say something. "I do love you Peeta." I whisper, and tears start rolling down my cheeks.

I know what he's thinking. He thinks I'm breaking up with him.

"I'm scared." I whisper. "I'm really scared. Fuck. Peeta I was with Mom and Orim and Miranda at the lakes because I hadn't been feeling well."

"Are you dying?" He blurts, and his eyes start getting all red and I know he's going to cry.

"No. I'm not dying."

He sighs in relief.

"Peeta, I was having cramps and headaches and I was nauseous and I missed my period."

"So?" He asks.

"I'm scared that your going to leave me again."

"Katniss I'm not leaving you! I love you!"

I grab his hand, lift my shirt up and place it on my belly.

"Your second child has been growing in there for a month and I've been avoiding you because I'm scared."

"Your pregnant?" He demands loudly, and he looks at our joined hands on my belly.

I step away from him, my shirt falling, crossing my arms over my growing baby.

"Katniss. I love you so much. I don't...I'm not leaving you. Not now and not ever. I love you. I'm not the same guy I was a year ago. You are all I've ever wanted. You are my only. Come here baby girl. Stop crying. I'm not going anywhere."

Loud, heavy sons erupt from my chest as I fling myself at him.

"Oh honey." He whispers softly. "Don't cry baby girl. Don't cry. I shouldn't have left. I never should've left. Baby, you have every right to be scared. Only...there's nothing to be scared for. I'm here for you this time. I'm not leaving. I love you, I love you, I love you."

I take a deep breath and force myself to stop crying. "I love you too."

We don't release one another from the hug until our legs get really tired and the sun starts going down.

We don't even turn on the lights though, he just sits down and pulls me onto his lap.

We still don't speak, until he whispers, "what should I expect out of you for the next nine months?"

"For the next month or so expect me getting really dizzy. Expect me eating foods that look nasty, expect cramping, crying, anger, and morning sickness. From then up don't expect so much of the morning sickness and don't expect sex. Nothing could get me wanting anything before."

"I hear that some people pass out."

"I passed out three times when I was eight months alone."

"I'm moving in." He says. "I mean soon. Like tomorrow." He pulls me closer.

"Okay." I whisper.

My phone starts ringing then.

"Hello?" I ask.

"Hey Kat." Madge says. "Your not home."

"Uh, yeah, I know."

"Where are you?"

"I'm at Peeta's."

"Oh, I though he was a douche."

I grit my teeth and don't reply.

"I'm moving back in." she says. "Gale and I broke up. The key isn't at the top of the door. Come home."

"Your not moving in." I say slowly.

"Why not?"

"Because I have a son and Peeta's moving in."

"So Peeta's better and more important than me?" She snaps.

"Peeta has a son and he has me. He actually helps me out."

"Just a month ago, you hated him."

"Your not moving in." I say.

"Why the fuck not?"

"Because I'm not your fucking slinkie! You can't just move out and completely ignore me for a month and then come running back because shit didn't work. I have a family now."

"Whatever." she hangs up.


	8. Chapter 8

Morning sickness started this morning. Peeta and I are sending my family to his parents so we can tell the family. Only Mom, Prim, and Miranda know, and Peeta.

It's noon now and Peeta's driving to his mothers. Everyone is there apparently.

There are a lot more cars outside than usual.

Peeta had to park down the street. It's supposed to rain today, so I get Elliot's car seat and bring it inside.

Or...I start to bring it inside, but Peeta takes it from my hands.

We walk in the door and Elliot full out screams when he sees Peeta.

I want him to say Dada as his first word. I want him to say Mama too, but I want him to say Dada because I know Peeta feels horrible about leaving and I would give anything to have him say Dada first.

Elliot starts using his arms to lift himself up and then he falls down again, because he's laying on a blanket surrounded by toys on the floor. He's screaming and trying desperately to get to his father.

I watch as Peeta sets down the car seat and scoops Elliot off the floor. He screams and puts his chubby hands on Peeta's cheeks.

"Did you guys break up?" Rye asks.

Both of us shake our heads.

I warned Peeta in the car ride here that he's telling them I'm pregnant because I don't want to go and all I want to do is sleep.

He agreed to tell them. It's not like he had a choice anyways.

"How are you feeling honey?" Mrs. Mellark asks me.

I shrug. "I'm tired."

Peeta looks between the two of us. "She didn't get much sleep last night."

She nods. "Honey, let's have a talk." She says to me.

I sigh. She walks outside and I trudge after her. She's my second mother. I can tell her anything. I'm basically her daughter.

She walks down the street and I walk next to her, and then she stops at a park and turns to me. "I don't buy it for one single second."

"Buy what?" I cross my arms.

"The whole "she didn't get much sleep last night" bullshit."

"Why?"

"Because." She narrows her eyes. "Katniss, I've known you since you were six years old. You are my daughter. Now...you've been avoiding Peeta for two weeks or so, correct?"

"He hasn't bothered to-"

"He texted you and you told him you were with your mom and you couldn't see him. Don't try and tell

Me otherwise Katniss Joy. He came to me crying that day."

I swallow. "He was crying? Peeta doesn't cry."

"I know he doesn't cry but he was. He was crying hard. He really loves you Katniss. He loves you more than you'll ever know. He wants to be a gentlemen for you. He tried therapy Katniss. He lived with us the past two weeks so we could help him. He was at his house yesterday for the first time since that day so he could pack his stuff and move in with us. He really, really wants to be perfect for you. He loves you."

"He what?"

"You heard me." She says. "Now...you don't avoid people. You are a mature women. You are a lady. You do not avoid people. Now...I know something's up with you. Maybe because you were dizzy when you walked in yesterday and looked exhausted. Yet, your still tired."

"So? I can't be tired?"

"Katniss Joy I've been pregnant five times."

"What?"

"The boys don't know." She sits down on a park bench. "I had two daughters before Graham. They were put up for adoption."

"Damn." I mutter.

"I've been pregnant. I recognize the symptoms. Your pregnant again."

I look down.

"Now, is my son the father?"

"Yes."

"So why did you avoid him?"

"I was scared."

"Of?"

"Of him leaving me again."

I see her eyes soften. "I promise you he is never going anywhere. He loves you. Honey, he always did love you. He left you the first time because he didn't want to get too attached just to lose you. He was miserable for six or so months after he left. He was a virgin because of you. He was drinking because of you." She stands up again. "Darling, there is a lot of stuff my son doesn't tell you."

"Is that all of it?"

"As far as I know it is." She replies. "Now stop crying."

I frown and touch my cheeks.

They're soaked.

God, I hate when that fucking happens.

"Let's go back." She pauses. "Don't dry those tears. Let them flow. You'll see."

She starts walking and I follow her.

She walks into the house and Peeta looks at her and then he looks at me and then back at his mother. "Why is she crying? What did you do?"

"I just told her everything you haven't told her." She crosses her arms.

His eyes get huge. "You _told_ her? She's crying because of me?" He looks like he feels terrible.

She starts replying, but he completely ignores her and walks over to me and wipes away my tears. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry." He hugs me and I hug him back with my head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I love you. I'm sorry." He whispers softly.

"I love you too." I whisper, and I hug him tighter. "I didn't know you cared."

He jerks back, and his jaw is half open. "What? Why would you think that?" He's mad.

"I didn't-"

"No, no, obviously there's a reason you think that. Why do you-"

I kiss him on the mouth in front of everyone to shut him up. "I didn't mean to say that, I meant to say that I didn't know you care that much."

He sighs loudly. "Of course I care."

...7...

After dinner, I notice how black Peeta's eyes are and how stone set his face is and how furiously he's typing on his phone. He's on the couch beside Rye who is reading over his shoulder, looking just as angry as him. Everyone in the room notices the tension.

Finally, the curiousness gets the best of me.

Slowly, I walk behind Peeta and lean down, sliding my arms down his cheek and letting my hair fall down the front of his shirt as I kiss his cheek. "Why are you angry?"

"I'm not angry." He says angrily.

"Bullshit."

He sighs loudly. "My friend Michael is trying to get me to go drinking with him tonight."

"And you're angry?"

"I'm fighting about you." He says.

"Me?" I ask.

"I told him I didn't want to go and that I was done drinking and he asked why and I told him I have a family." He takes a deep breath. "And then he said that we could find a girl to fuck and I told him no and I told him that I didn't want to and that I have you and he said that you wouldn't find out and I told him that I have a family and I don't want to have sex with anyone ever but you and he just keeps going and he's pissing me off."

He's so sweet that he's so angry over it.

I kiss his cheek again and take his phone from his hand.

"What are you doing?" He demands. I climb over the couch and sit down in the seat next to him and then move so I'm sideways with my feet across both his and Rye's lap.

And then I press call.

Peeta's eyes get huge. "He's not someone you're going to like. I don't want to be friends with him. Katniss." He reaches for the phone but I stick my tongue out at him and swat at his hand.

"Hello?" he asks.

"Speaker!" Miranda hisses. I look at Elliot who is fast sleep in Graham's arms, so I put it on speaker and mouth _nobody say anything_ and they all nod.

"Hey." I say.

"Who that _fuck_ is this?" he demands. Peeta cringes.

"This is Peeta's girlfriend." I say.

"What's your name?" he demands.

"Katniss. What's yours?" I ask.

"Michael." He says.

"So I hear you want Peeta to go and cheat on me tonight."

"Yeah." He says. "He needs a good fuck."

"You don't know what he needs."

"And you do? I've known Peeta five years."

"I've known Peeta fifteen years." I say. "And he'll get a good fuck tonight. Peeta doesn't want to be friends with you anymore because…well your kind of a horndog and it's not healthy to be around."

"I'll believe that when I hear it from him." He snaps.

"I don't want to be friends anymore." Peeta says, and just as Michael starts replying, Peeta hangs up the phone.

"I wasn't done." I cross my arms.

Michael starts calling back and I snag the phone and answer it. Peeta makes a grab for the phone but I get up and run.

"Why doesn't he want to be friends?" he demands, and Peeta chases me.

"Because he's an adult and you're a child."

We start arguing and Peeta's chasing me, and the whole world starts spinning and I feel myself hit the ground and then I hear shrieks because I'm on my stomach not my back.

"She's pregnant!" Mom blurts, and I hear loud voices, and then everything is way too hot but I'm cold and I'm covered in sweat, and then I pass out.


	9. Chapter 9

I was fine after passing out. I woke up a few minutes later dizzy, and Peeta was obsessing over me, insisting it's best for the baby and I that I stay seated.

I gave in and sat for an hour, but then he fell asleep and I got up and started pacing around the house because I don't like sitting still.

Of course, he woke when he didn't feel my warmth in his arms, and then he stared at me for a long time, walking around. He begged me to come back and I told him no, that I wasn't tired, and then he got this look of rejection in his eyes, like his plans to please me failed, and then I felt and and laid down with him.

Long story short, we fell asleep on the couch and I guess we spent the night because I just now woke in the guest room, alone.

I look out the window and I can tell by the sun that it must be ten in the morning.

I can hear voices downstairs, and Elliot squealing.

We spent the night?

I look at the ceiling and shut my eyes, willing sleep to come back to me, but then I realize how nauseous I am, and I fly out of bed to the bathroom.

I puke my brains out, and then use Rye's toothbrush. I toss it in the garbage and then look down at my attire to see I'm in someone's sweatpants, Peeta's I think, and Peeta's shirt, but no bra.

I go back to the room and rummage through the drawers till I find some of my clothes. I put on a bra and a dark blue dress that goes to my mid-thigh and flows from the waist down, brush my hair and go downstairs.

I'm the last one to wake.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?" Peeta asks. He starts to stand up but I sit down on his lap and bury my head in his shoulder.

Someone knocks on the door then.

Mrs. Mellark gets up and opens the door.

Two girls stand there that are so obviously sisters. Both have blonde hair and blue eyes. One girl is about two inches taller than the other. One wears a white skintight dress that doesn't make her look like a whore, but more like a lady. She's tall and has crystal blue eyes and her hair is straight and goes to her ribs. She holds a black iPhone 5 in her hand, a notecard, and wears wedges.

The other girl has a coral pink dress that flows from her hips to her mid-thigh. She has black heels on and the same shade of blond hair, but it flows to the beginning of her ribs. She too, holds an iPhone, though hers is white, and she has car keys in her hand.

Both girls have a face that is shaped like mine. They have different noses though, but they're unmistakably sisters.

"Can I help you?" Mrs. Mellark asks.

The sister's exchange glances.

"Are you…Renee?" the girl in the white dress asks.

"Yes." She says.

"I'm Keelee and this is my sister, younger by a year, Rikki. Um…we're your daughters."

Mrs. Mellark's face and neck goes completely pale.

She lowly turns to face Mr. Mellark, and then their gazes turn to the boys.

"Um, sorry." Peeta slides me off of his lap and stands up. "We don't actually have-"

"Peeta." I stand up and cover his mouth with my hand. I look at Mrs. Mellark ad she nods slowly. "Sit down."

He removes my hand. "But I don't have-"

"Peeta." I whisper.

He searches my eyes. "I have two sisters." He mutters. "How in hell do you know that? I _don't_ have sisters. There's no way."

"Peeta please just sit down."

"How do you know that?"

"We don't have sisters." Rye starts shaking his head.

"Yeah, this is bullshit." Graham says.

"Um." Mom stands up and the rest of my family starts gathering their things. "This is a family matter. I'll come back…in three days."

"Yeah…" I start backing up. My family rushes out.

"No!" Peeta blurts. "You're family. You're staying." He looks at his parents. "She's staying."

"Really…I'm tired, I-"

"You're staying." Peeta says. "Please." He looks desperate.

I let out a long sigh. Mrs. Mellark beckons the girls into the house and shuts the front door. Elliot squeals and I pick him up to keep him quiet.

"Make yourselves at home." Mrs. Mellark says. The girls sit down on the empty couch. The three boys are sitting across from the girls.

There are four people that aren't pale that are in this house. That is me, Keelee, Rikki, and Elliot. The boys, Mr. Mellark and Mrs. Mellark look sickly pale.

"I should really go home-"

"No!" the boy and their parents blurt. "Katniss." Mrs. Mellark sighs. "You part of this family. One day you and Peeta will marry. You are the mother of my grandson and my unborn grandbaby. You belong here just as much as the rest of us do. You're probably the most level headed person in here right now."

"I don't understand why you told Katniss and didn't tell us." Graham blurts.

"You told Katniss?" Mr. Mellark demands.

Everyone looks at me.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Rikki asks.

"I'm Katniss, I'm Peeta's girlfriend."

She raises her eyebrows. "That's Peeta, that's Rye, and that's Graham. Peeta's youngest, and then Rye and then Graham."

Both girls nod.

"And who's this?" she grabs Elliot hand.

"This is Elliot, Peeta and I's son."

"So…"

"He's your nephew." I say.

"We have a nephew!" Rikki hits Keelee's arm.

"Aww!" Keelee says. "Can I hold him?"

"Sure." I hand Elliot to her.

"Could someone please explain what the hell is going on?" Peeta demands. "Why does she know I have two sisters?" he points to me.

"Okay yesterday when Katniss came in dizzy I told her how you were moving in and how you were getting therapy to better herself for her and I told her I knew how to recognize a pregnant women when I see one because I'd been pregnant five times and she said that I had three kids and I told her I had five because I gave two up for adoption. Don't take it out on her. She's innocent."

"Can I please leave?"

"No." Everyone in the room says.

I sigh.

"Okay." Peeta says.

"Why'd you give us up for adoption?" Keelee asks.

"Yeah, why you get rid of them? Why'd you keep us?"

"When I was eighteen." Mrs. Mellark begins. "I got pregnant with Keelee. Your father left me. It was too much and I had no way to contact him. I put her up for adoption and regretted it when she was gone. When your father came back I forgave him and I got pregnant with Riley. He wasn't ready I fought long and hard but he won. We put Riley up for adoption. Then Graham came. He wanted to keep him, and that's basically it."

"Did you not want me because I was a girl?" Riley asks.

"No. No honey, that's just how it happened. Axtually, we were hoping Peeta was going to be a girl."

"So in other words, you didn't want me!" Peeta stands up.

"Hey." I say. "Calm down. They didn't say that. You want the new baby to be a girl but if it's a boy, it doesn't mean you won't want it. Knock it off and stop being so hotheaded."

He grits his teeth and sits back down. "Sorry." He mutters.

"We didn't even get adopted! We were put in the same foster house and got moved together, we almost got separated multiple times. When we were both eighteen we got an apartment together and we've been working together until now, Keelee being 27 and I being 26, trying to find you guys." Riley says.

"I understand if you don't want me around…I get it. I respect your decision-"

"I don't." Rye says. "I've wanted sisters for a long time. I have them. I'm not about to let them leave."

"I don't want them to leave either."

"Well we don't want to leave. Besides, we live here." Keelee says.


	10. Chapter 10

**My wattpad name is heyitsammm23 for those of you who have asked. **

After, they started to talk and get to know each other. Then Peeta decides that they're going out to lunch.

"You're coming." He says.

"No." I say. "I don't want to."

"Why not?" He asks.

"Because it's your sisters and I have stuff to do."

"Like what?"

"Like lie on the couch and start watching Once Upon a Time because Prim wants me to. And I have to clean and get the house ready for you to join us. I have grocery shopping too."

"What's the real reason?" He asks.

"I feel like a burden because it's your family. I'm not very important."

"What? Katniss. You are not a burden."

"No. I'm leaving. Am I taking Elliot?"

He seems to consider it. "I want him. I'll either come over later or bring him back tomorrow."

"Okay." I hand him the diaper bag. "Everything he needs is in there. He doesn't breast feed that much anymore. He likes baby banana food." I kiss Peeta. "Love you."

"Love you too." He says. I say goodbye to everyone else and grab my stuff and leave.

...9...

When it hits ten at night and I realize I've been watching Once Upon a Time all day, I start feeling pathetic.

After staring at the wall, I call Johanna.

"Brainless." She says. "You have a lot of explaining to do. Madge, Annie, and Finnick are here. Come over."

So I get up, out on my white flats, grab my phone, wallet, and car keys, leave the door unlocked in case Peeta shows up, and head for my car.

I drive right to Johanna's and I knock. She opens the door and beckons me in. I'm still in the dark blue dress.

I'm about to apologize to Madge, but he hugs me.

"I'm really sorry for being a bitch because you said no to me moving in. It was wrong of me. I was a terrible roommate. You had Elliot and I expected you to make dinner and I treated you like shit."

"It's alright." I say.

"Still breastfeeding?" Johanna asks.

When I shake my head, she hands me a beer.

"No." I shake my head and put it down on the counter.

"Why? You have to try it." She says.

"I'm pregnant again." I say.

Finnick bursts out laughing. "Again?"

I nod.

"How's Peeta." Annie asks casually. Really, she wants to know if he left again.

"He stayed. He's excited. He feels terrible for leaving."

"Is he still an inconsiderate bastard?" Johanna asks.

"No." I say.

"So are you together?" Annie asks.

"Yes."

"Oh, you have a boyfriend! That's so cute!" Madge says.

"And you love him?" Finn asks.

I nod slowly.

Johanna is opening her mouth to say something when my phone starts ringing.

I look down at the caller I.D.

"Hang on." I say, and I press answer.

"Yes?" I ask.

"Katniss." Peeta says. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, why?"

"I don't know…I haven't heard from you since earlier…I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm good." I say.

"Okay. I'm gonna keep Elliot for the night. Is that okay?"

"That's fine."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Bye."

"Bye." I hang up.

…a…

The ringing of my cell wakes me. I look at the clock and see it's six fifty in the morning.

I groggily reach over and answer it.

"Hello?" I mutter, my voice laced with my semiconscious.

"Morning sunshine!" Peeta says.

I moan loudly. "What the _fuck_ do you want?"

"Get up." He says.

"Fuck no."

"Fuck yes." He says. "I'll be over there with my parents and siblings in _five_ minutes. If you're not out of bed, I'll put you in a cold shower."

"Fuck off." I mutter, and I hang up and then toss my phone on the floor.

PEETA'S POV

"At least remember she's pregnant and tired." Keelee warns.

I wave her off and unlock the door.

The house is dead silent and the lights are off. I open all the blinds and open the fridge. She never went to the store.

I walk right into her room. She's on her stomach, her head pancaked between two pillows, fast asleep.

I peek my head out of her room. "She's on her stomach."

"She's fine and so is the baby. She's too early on to do any real damage."

I lean against the doorframe and decide I am going to do what I threatened. I slowly creep in and pull the blankets off of her and scoop her into my arms.

She doesn't even move.

Rye starts the shower, and Graham blocks the door so she can't get out.

KATNISS'S POV

Ice cold water wakes me.

I realize then that he wasn't kidding.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARDS!" I scream at all three boys, and then I shove Peeta and Rye into the shower and get out, and shove Graham in, steal the towels, lock the door from the inside and shut it, and then get the lock for the door and lock it from the outside, and then storm off to my bedroom. I slam the door and strip down naked, and then I crawl into bed and cover myself, my hair dripping, sitting up against the headboard.

I hear the boys muttering swears and "she broke my damn phone" and then I hear the shower stop, the lock being fiddled with, and then the three girls trying to control the boys.

Peeta walks right in, soaked.

"What the fuck?" he demands.

"Oh I'm sorry, did you get wet?"

"That's not funny."

"I fucking know it's not funny." I hiss. "Get out."

"Get dressed." He says.

"Why?" I shout. He kicks the door shut. "Go home! Leave me the hell alone!"

"No. Get dressed."

I cross my arms stubbornly. "No."

I'm not getting dressed until he apologizes.

He runs his fingers through his hair and sighs. "Please? I'm sorry, okay. I should have been nice. Please get dressed."

I pick at a loose thread on my comforter.

"Where are we going?"

"We are going to the flea market. I know you love it there."

I grit my teeth and stand up. He raises his eyebrows.

I grab my comforter and a towel and completely cover myself.

"It's going to take a lot more than an apology, Peeta Ryan Mellark." I say as I storm across the hall to the bathroom.

I take a hot shower to calm myself down, and when I get out, I end up throwing up, and then I brush my teeth and blow dry my hair and wrap myself in a towel and storm across the hall again to my room. I get a pair of tan jeans and a red tank top and a bra and my combat boots, and then I become extremely frustrated when my clothes are tight. I put in my contacts and put on deodorant, and then I brush my hair again, and I grab my phone and wallet and car keys and white sunglasses, put them on my head, and walk into the living room.

Peeta had clothes here and the boys are dry now.

"You need to eat before we leave." Peeta says.

I narrow my eyes. "Since when are you my babysitter?"

"I'm not, but I'm the father of the child inside of you."

"I never said that." I walk into the kitchen.

"What?" he follows me. "You mean I'm not the father?"

"I'm fucking kidding." I say.

"That's not funny."

"Neither is you putting me in the shower but you found that fucking hilarious, now didn't you?" I snap.

"I said I was sorry." He says.

"Well if you're sorry you better fucking show it. The only reason I forgave you for leaving was because you showed me you were sorry. The only reason I started trusting you was because you showed me I could. The only reason I love you, is because you gave me a reason to. If you want me to forgive you, show me and apology, don't just say it."

"And how the hell do you expect me to do that?"

"Not like that." I start chopping up strawberries and banana's.

…..a…..

I insisted on taking my own car and I told Peeta that he isn't coming with me.

Now I'm walking with Rikki, Keelee, and Mrs. Mellark, and every attempt Peeta makes to get my attention is cold-shouldered.

He gave up after an hour and a half of trying.

That is, until we see a stand with luggage, and he looks at me again.

"Let's go on a vacation."

I roll my eyes.

"Katniss." He says. "I'm sorry. Please, please forgive me. I'll never do it again. I'll wake you with kisses and champaign and breakfast in bed for the rest of your life."

"We'll see." I walk away.

"She's so damn stubborn." Rye says.


	11. Chapter 11

Peeta is so clueless. I forgave him days ago, but its been two weeks and he's given up.

If he would just come over, this whole thing would be resolved.

When it hits ten weeks and one day pregnant, someone comes banging on the door.

I open it and there stands Rye, red in the face.

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you?" he demands.

"What?" I ask.

"He _loves_ you! Shouldn't that be enough? God, what else can he possibly do to make you happy? Katniss, he left this morning to go to _therapy_ for you. He opened that damn pottery thing so he can get money for you. He's making my parents control him so he can learn what's right! He's been crying. Peeta doesn't fucking cry. The girls have been telling him to come talk to you. He isn't Peeta anymore. He cringes at the sound of your name."

I smirk. "I forgave him at the flea market. I've been waiting for him to realize it."

He pins me up against the wall. "He thinks you broke up. He won't come over. He can't even hear your name without nearly crying. Depression has taken over his body. Go talk to him. He's at my parents. I've got the munchkin."

"What if he doesn't want to see me?"

"Then don't take no for an answer."

I grab my keys, wallet, and phone, and walk out of the house. My hair is up in a messy bun, I'm in a white tank top, and jean shorts and white flip flops.

I rush to the car and speed to Peeta's parents.

I get out and walk right to the door and knock repeatedly until the door is opened by Rikki.

Slowly, she moves out of the way. I walk right into the living room, and he isn't there.

"Where is he?" I demand.

"Upstairs." Mrs. Mellark says, and I see seriousness in her eyes. "Katniss-"

"I know. Rye told me."

I stomp upstairs and walk right into his room without knocking.

His eyes are bloodshot with lack of sleep and he's staring blankly at his ceiling.

He doesn't even move his eyes to meet mine.

"Pease leave." He says.

"I think we both know I'm not going to do that."

He looks at me.

"What the hell are you doing? You're wasting time."

He looks at me with a blank expression. "Get up. Go take a shower. Get ready. We're leaving."

"Where?"

"I don't know. Somewhere to help you clear your head. I need to bring you back. This is my fault. Please go shower and get ready to leave."

He gets up and gets clean clothes and heads for the door, but stops. "Promise you'll be here when I get out?"

"I promise."

He walks out and I sit down on his bed, and then get up and change his sheets and take the dirty ones down to the laundry room and start some wash.

When I come upstairs, he's standing in his room, looking conflicted. He's wearing jeans and a white v-neck and gray vans. His phone, wallet, and keys are in his hand and I watch as he stuffs them in his pocket.

"Did you brush your teeth?" He nods. "Have you eaten?" He nods. "What?"

"I had grilled cheese for lunch."

"Promise?" I ask.

He nods.

"Okay. Let's go."

...9...

We wind up at a park.

"I owe you an apology." I whisper. "I forgave you at the flea market. I wanted you to come over. I would've taken you back. I was stubborn. I'm sorry. I love you, Peeta."

He takes a deep breath. "This isn't working."

"What isn't working?"

"Us." He whispers, and my hands get all clammy. "I'm screwing everything up."

"Peeta..." I whisper, and my eyes fill with tears and I start panicking.

"No." He says. "We're done. Just take the kids and leave. It's better for them if I'm not in their life."

"Are you fucking kidding? You have a son and another kid on the way! You promised me you'd stay! You said forever Peeta! I was there when you said for-"

"Well some promises are meant to be broken. Now leave. We'll never see each other again after this, but I do love you."

"Your such a fucking bastard. I hope this makes you happy." I get up and walk away. I go to my car.

This is it. I'm done. I can't do this. He promised he would stay. He said he would be there for me.

Fine, I'll make sure he can never come back.

I'm getting the hell out of here.


	12. Chapter 12

Right when Rye left I started packing. I called my realtor and I took apart Elliot's furniture and packed it. I put my bed frame in the car and I put all the boxes. My neighbor comes over.

"Your pregnant aren't you?" He asks. He's my age and fresh from college."

"Yes." I say numbly, pushing my couch towards the door.

"Your running."

"My boyfriend broke up with me and is leaving me alone with my son and the other on the way. In getting the hell out of here because I never want to see his face again. I grew up with him! I trusted him!"

"I understand." He says, and a little girl coma parading into the house. She's probably two years old. "I understand a lot more than you might realize. Let me help you."

He helps me bring the couch down and the coffee table, and then he helps me out a tarp over the bed of my truck.

I take Elliot and thank the man. I tie up the loose strings like finishing stuff with my realtor and giving him the keys and change my phone number so I can forget my old life, family included, and head out to San Francisco.

….a….

I get a hotel for a while, and then I find an apartment that I love. I moved in.

That was six months ago.

Oh, and I found out I'm having a girl.

I was thinking long and hard about what to do.

Shoud I keep the baby or not.

And then I found out it was a little girl. I still didn't know what to do, but I stopped at the store for groceries on the way home.

Elliot whispered Mama for the first time, and I saw him looking at a pink baby toy and trying to reach it.

I knew then, that I couldn't give up my baby. Now, I'm seven months and Elliot is crawling and standing up and starting to take steps. I place his plate of mashed up food that's more than safe for him to eat because he has teeth, and I eat my dinner and pick him up. I put on Peter Pan and sit down on the couch. He sits next to me with his sippy cup of water and his eyes are glued to the TV.

I ruffle his blonde curls and sigh.

He looks just like his Daddy.

After a while, Elliot crawls into my lap and goes to sleep.

I change the channel to Once Upon a Time after putting him in his crib.

Someone rings the doorbell. I get up and curse the perms there for possibly waking my son and walk to the door.

It's probably my neighbor, Mary.

Though I doubt it because she's my best friend and she knows by now to just walk in.

I open the door and my jaw drops.

He looks me up and down and walks right into the house after me.

It's...

It's Matt.

"Matt." I whisper.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm alive. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What?" I ask.

I finally made it back to America. I got your adress and phone number. I called your phone and it said it was disconnected. I went to your house and nobody was there. I went to your parents and the Mellark's were there. I asked about you after a tearful reunion and they all for quiet. Peeta said you had a kid together and your pregnant with another. He said he was depressed and wasn't thinking and he broke up with you. He regretted the decision immediately. It took him a few hours to gain his confidence. He went to your house and nobody was there. The next day, there was a for sale sign. You changed your phone number and didn't tell a soul you we're leave except your neighbor and he didn't even know where you'd gone."

"Well I couldn't stay there. Our relationship was a disaster and he made it very clear he never wanted to see me or his kids again."

"You didn't even give him a chance to change his mind!"

"He didn't deserve a chance! He left me with Elliot and now Riley too? This isn't fair to me or the kids."

"You loved him?" He asks.

"Yes."

"You didn't even try to get him to change his mind."

"I didn't even get a chance to speak!"

"You didn't go after him."

"I was angry, Matt! He left me again!"

"So? Love is stronger than anger. You'd left without a word. You didn't even tell your parents. You were a missing person."

"So?"

"So!" He laughs. "So this is absurd. Your all alone. You can't have a newborn baby by yourself."

"I'm not by myself I have Mary."

"Who the hell is Mary?"

"My neighbor and best friend."

"Katniss please, you have to come home."

"This is home. I'm happy here."

"Katniss." he says. "Listen to me." He sits me down on the couch and squats in front of me. "He fucked up. He was depressed. He was getting therapy. He left you because he thought he was a burden. He though he was hurting you. He though he left you and he was right to do it. You guys hadn't spoken. This isn't only his fault. If you were so stubborn..."

"But I went after him! He hasn't tried!"

"Well that's pretty damn hard now isn't it?" He shouts. "You changed your number and left without leaving a trace. You haven't checked your social networks. They have tons of message. He was at your house ten minutes after you'd left. He drove all night for you. You should have stayed and helped to take him back go his normal self."

"Well...well, he still ended it."

"He was a diagnosed depressant with his mind playing tricks on him and convincing himself that he was making you miserable. All he's ever wanted is for you to be happy."

"He has a pretty shitty way of showing it."

"Katniss." He whispers, begging. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you but-"

"Then give him one more chance. He won't let you down. Please. He wants to be there for the birth of your baby. He's wanted to be there since he left the first time."

"How did you find me?"

"I have my ways." He says. "This isn't home because you live here. Home is where your family is. You haven't got any family here."

"I have my son and my daughter and Mary and you."

"Please. Just give him one shot. It won't be for long, I promise. Just come for one day. If you still want to leave, do it. If not, then you can come back here and live your life the way you've been for the last few months."

I look down at my huge belly and down the hall towards the room my son is in.

"I don't know Matt..."

"Go on Facebook."

So I re-download the app and sign into Facebook.

I have over a thousand messages. Hundreds are from family.

Five hundred and sixty seven are from Peeta. He's apologizing over and over and asking me to come back. Wanting to know where I am. Telling me how much he loves me.

I delete the app and shut my eyes.

"How do you know he won't just leave me again?"

"Because now he knows what he's got to lose. Now what do you say?"

I sigh. "Give me a half hour to pack. If he makes me angry, I'll buy the first ticket out of there."

"Deal." He says.

...9...

I don't know if I can do that. We're in my parents driveway.

"Matt." I mutter. "No. I can't. They hate me."

"They're upset with you for not telling your family. They don't hate you. They think you had a right to leave. It's Peeta they're upset with."

I know they're all in my mothers house.

"You can do this. I have faith."

I take a deep breath and run my fingers through my hair. "I don't know if I can see him again. If things don't work out...he said he never wanted to see me again."

"I know. He didn't mean it. This'll work. Please?"

Slowly, I get out of the car and get Elliot from the backseat.

"Let's go." Matt whispers.

"Do they know you came after me?"

"No." He shakes his head. "I told them I lost my phone and I'd be with a friend for a few days."

I nod. He walks right into the house.

I freeze outside the door and he sighs and grabs my wrist and pulls me into the living room.

Mom shrieks and her glass shatters and the whole place goes silent.

Elliot on the other hand, has other plans.

Right now, his favorite word is help. He can say Mama, Yes, No, and Help.

"Help! Help! Help Mama! Yes! No! Help!" He starts squirming in my arms, wanting desperately to get down.

Slowly, I sit him down on the floor. He lifts himself to his feet and starts walking right to the coffee table where there is a full glass of water.

If there is one thing my son loves, it's knocking over glasses.

"Ba ba ba ba ba!" He starts falling and as Prim moves to catch him, he catches himself and stands up and continues his journey.

"He's gonna knock it over." I whisper, and I move over to him and put the glass in the center of the coffee table and scour the area for anything else he can break.

Mom purses her lips.

Her face is set as stone and her ears are red.

I recognize that look. That is the "your so lucky I haven't thrown you out if the house yet" look.

"You have a whole lot of explaining to do!"

"I don't have any explaining to do." I cross my arms.

"Yes-" she starts.

"No she doesn't." Peeta says. "I'm the reason she left. I'm a fuck up. I destroyed my happiness, her happiness, and my kids happiness. I thought I was right. I thought I was making her happy and I wasn't. It's all my fault."

"Damn right." I snap.

"Katniss!" Mom shrieks. "Be nice!"

"Nice? Be nice? That's funny. That's real funny. I'm not going to be nice to him!"

"Of course because it's all his fault." Prim snaps.

"I'm leaving." I reach for the door and open it, and Matt slams it shut. "No. Your not leaving."

"And your going to stop me?"

"I just did."

"No you didn't."

"You won't do anything to me. You can't push me."

"And what makes you say that?"

"Because your seven and a half months pregnant with a baby girl and you won't risk her safety by trying to get out of a house."

I purse my lips and cross my arms. "What do you want?"

"I want you two to make up."

He nods at Peeta.

"Not gonna happen." I hiss.

"And why's that?" He asks.

"Because he left. He said he wouldn't and he did and now, once again, I'm doing it alone again!"

"But you won't have to if you make up!"

"Well it doesn't matter because I don't love him and I never will."

"Bullshit!" He says. "You know how I convinced you to come here?" He demands. "Because you still love him."

"I don't."

"Fine. Look him square in the eye and tell him you don't love him."

"I won't do that!"

"Why?"

"Because it's mean!"

"No, because it's a lie."

"It's not a lie!"

"Fine, then do it."

I look at Peeta, and then Matt, and back at Peeta.

I stare into those eyes, those clear blue eyes.

And I can't do it.

Tears start pouring down my cheeks. "Please just let me leave." I whisper, looking at Matt.

"Say it." He says.

"I can't!" I snap.

"Why? You said you don't love him! Tell him!"

"I can't!"

"Why?"

"Because it's a lie! God, let me go!" I can't stop crying now and this is humiliating and I just want to get out of here.

Fuck Matthew Egret Mathis for knowing me so damn well.

The whole house is dead silent. Even Elliot is quiet. Matt's eyes are filled with satisfaction and there's a smile on his lips.

"Why would you want to leave if you love him? If you love all of us?"

"Because..."

"Because...?" He presses.

"Because I can't have what I want."

"And what do you want?"

"I'm not telling."

"Why? You love all of us. You can tell us. You can trust us. Even him." he points to Peeta.

"I want to leave."

He smirks. "You are such a terrible liar. What do you really want?"

"I. Want. Him." I hiss. All of the girls are grinning like idiots.

"Is that all?"

"I want him and I don't want to be alone when I have the baby and I want him to be with me and Elliot and the baby in San Francisco and I don't want to be alone anymore because I'm lonely and I want someone to love me and I want to get back together and I want to start over but I can't."

"Why can't you?"

"Because he said no. He made that clear. He said he never wanted to see me again, to see his son, to see his daughter." I put my hand on my belly.

"And do you really believe he meant that?"

"He was serious."

"In all of the years that you've known Peeta, you never realize how wonderful of a liar he is?"

"He has no reason to lie about that."

"I thought it was what you wanted!" Peeta blurts. "I just wanted what was best for you and Elliot and I thought you were done. I wanted to break up with you before you would me. I thought we hadn't spoken because you didn't want me. I thought you were going to end us, so I did it first. I didn't like it. I regretted it. I'm sorry, Katniss, I just...I just wanted to make you happy."

"Love takes work." Matt whispers. "Don't you think you should work for it?"

"I don't want to work for it for the rest of my life."

"The only way that'll happen is if we keep running from our problems." Peeta says. "Katniss, please...just give me one more chance. If I screw up this time, you never have to see me again. Please? One more chance and I promise I won't let you down."

I need to think this through.

I was truly happy when I was with him the second time. It was just something small that broke us up. All I've ever wanted was for him to have a strong relationship with our children, specifically our daughter. I've always wanted to have a husband that would threaten the boyfriend and hold her hand and put her on his shoulders and dress up for her and play barbies with her and have tea parties while his buddies are over. I've wanted a husband who would throw the football with his son and teach him baseball and scream at the TV with his son and put him on his shoulder and take him to a baseball game and catch the stray ball just so our son could have it. I've always wanted Peeta to be there for me. For us. For our kids. I thought that I could have that the second time around, and I didn't.

Maybe a third try could take me there, to what I wanted.

I stare into his clear blue eyes and sigh, because he is what I want. He is what I need. I can't be a good mother if I'm alone.

He could be the threatening tea party sports husband.

I can't even see myself with someone else anyways. Slowly, I start nodding.

"Yes? Another chance?" he asks. I just keep nodding until he comes over to me and hugs me.

When he lets go, I stretch and then sigh.

"You can lecture me now." I say to my Mother.

"I missed my grandson grow. All of us. We missed his first words, is first crawling, his first steps! We missed you finding out the sex of the baby and her moving for the first time! You were a missing person! You changed your number and vanished. We didn't know what had happened. Your my child and that is _not_ okay with me. What do you have to say?"

I shrug. "The baby's a girl."

"And?"

"And I'm due March first."

"And?" she presses.

"And?" I ask.

She looks pissed.

"Fine! I'm sorry! I should have told yu guys or sent a letter or something."

"How did you expect to have a baby while having Elliot? You had us last time."

"Mary." I say.

"Mary?" She asks.

"She's my best friend." I explain. "She lives next door."

She nods slowly. "I want your phone number and your address and everything. I want it all."

"Then will you forgive me?"

"I've already forgiven you, but I still want it. Actually, I was never really mad. I get it. I understand. I would've left too. I just wish you would've told me or someone."

I nod, and then I do a max text to everyone in my contacts and just say _it's Katniss_.

My phone starts going crazy, starting with Johanna.

This is going to be a long night.


	13. Chapter 13

My family is a ton of manipulative bastards who begged me to stay for a bit longer.

Then a bit longer turned into the day of my due date.

"Okay, I want to go home." I say.

"You're on bed rest." Peeta puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, well that fucking sucks. I'm not going to sit the hell down and stay down."

"Katniss." He says.

They said if my water doesn't break tonight, they'll induce me tomorrow morning.

"You need to rest." Peeta says.

I've been having contractions but they're about an hour apart. Mary came here and Johanna, Madge, Annie, and Finnick are here waiting for my water to break and al the Mellark's.

"_Don't_ tell me what to do." I shove his hand off of my shoulder and get up.

"Katniss!" Mom scolds.

I start picking up Elliot's toys that he's not playing with and putting them in his diaper bag, waving off every attempt anyone makes to get me to sit down.

"Katniss Joy if you go into early labor-" Dad begins.

"I won't, okay! I know what I'm doing! I've done it before!"

Just then, I feel a sharp pain, and then water comes rushing down my legs.

"See?" Peeta says, frustrated.

"I'm supposed to go into labor today!" I snap. A contraction hits full force and I grab the wall.

"We need to go." Mom says frantically.

….a….

"She's beautiful." Peeta whispers, kissing my forehead, and then Riley's, who's name he agreed on.

The nurse gave us fifteen minutes alone. When she comes back in one minute, she's bring Peeta and I's parents and our siblings and son and Matt.

Riley has a button nose, Peeta's, my lips and eye shape, but Peeta's eye's and hair. She has my ears.

"I know this isn't the time." Peeta whispers. "But I want you to know that I came after you. I tried to find you but I couldn't. I am _never_ leaving again. I know you've heard that before, but it's true. I'm not going anywhere. I love you." He kisses me right on the lips. This is the first time since I came back about two months ago that I let him.

"I love you, too." I whisper. This is also the first time that I've said I loved him too, even though I technically said it the first day.

I hear footsteps enter the room, and then our family walks in. Even Elliot is being quiet. Peeta hands me Riley and takes Elliot and whispers to him about needing to be quiet and how this is his new baby sister. He stares at her and then very gently, he holds her hand. Mom gets our attention, and me, Peeta and Elliot smile, and then she takes a picture. She shows it to me and I start tearing up.

That is _definitely _going on the wall.

Mrs. Mellark holds her first, and she starts crying. "She's so gorgeous."

Then Mom holds her and has the same reaction, and then Mr. Mellark takes her, and then Dad, and then she's passed around for everyone.

She's passed back to me then, because she starts getting fussy.

I'm so glad I have Peeta here this time to help me.

**Okay I'm letting you guys know I'm up north for the entire summer to be with my Aunt and Grandpa and cousin. I'm going to work on updating more often. I'm sorry this is so short and I'm sorry to keep you waiting.**

**If you want a picture of Riley then feel free to kik me.**


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